New Machinists Enter the Workforce

Contract manufacturer Autocam Medical (Kentwood, MI) announced that 13 adult students graduated from their CNC Machinist Apprentice Program. The apprentices were awarded certificates of completion in a graduation ceremony held on June 12 at Western Michigan University’s AMP Lab in downtown Grand Rapids. This program covers the necessary schooling required by the State of Michigan to receive a certified Journeyman card. Six of the graduates also received their Journeyman card upon program completion and the other seven graduates are working to complete the necessary hour requirements.

The year-round program requires graduates to complete 728 hours of classroom instruction and 91 weeks to complete. Students maintain a full work-schedule while training over a two-year period. Completion of the program puts them on the path to receive an associate’s degree, earning 27 college credits. The company runs two classes at a time and they are looking to hire another class for 2020. The 2019 graduating class includes Joshua Bos, Kevin Bultman, Nicholas Calhoun, Jacob Estrada, Mitchell Ferguson, Phillip Kasper, Scott Kok, Daniel Martinez, Benjamin Page, Jean Reynoso-Rodriguez, Jerrittia Roseburgh, Taylor Sluiter, and Alexander Stenberg.

As a token of their appreciation the students presented their instructor, Andy Beach, with a lightsaber featuring a stand they machined themselves. Beach, a 20-year industry veteran and senior CNC machinist and programmer, has been training students in the program since 2017. “Getting to know and work with the students over that time period is a reward in itself,” said Beach. “At the end, I am blessed to consider them friends and honored to welcome them into the workforce as Journeyman machinists.”

Bill Pink, the president of Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC), John C. Kennedy, the president/chief executive officer of Autocam Medical, and John Kennedy, IV, the general manager of Autocam Medical were also present for the event.

autocam-medical.com